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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Harvest Topiary

When I found out the first theme of S.Y.T.Y.C I was really excited because fall is one of my favorite time's of the year and I just love all of the fall colors! When I started brainstorming what I was going to do I just kept thinking that I really wanted to showcase those beautiful fall colors and really represent the theme "harvest" all at the same time.

So this Harvest Topiary is what I came up with! This topiary is the perfect way to spruce up your home with the feel of fall! It even smells great, instead of using a dowel for the center of the topiary I used cinnamon sticks! Clever huh? This project is not only fun to make, it will remind you of the fall's harvest every time you look at it!

Hope you enjoy.

Harvest Topiary

Okay, let's get started!!

Supplies Needed:

Terra Cotta Pot (or any other medium sized pot you have)

Barn Red paint

Black paint

Distressing ink

Floral Foam

Floral pliers

Cinnamon Sticks (the long ones)

Floral Moss

Faux pumpkins, apples, flowers, leaves.

( I used about 4 pumpkins and 2 apples and 6-8 acorns. You can find these at any craft store. I got mine at Robert's Arts and Crafts. For the flowers I bought three different stems and the leaves I just got off of a fall garland.)

1 1/2 yards of ribbon

Step 1: Paint your pot with the red paint. You might need to do a couple of coats. I did two coats.

Step 2: When your red paint is dry apply with a dry brush some black paint and wipe it off quickly with a paper towel. Do this until you get the color that you want. I also rubbed some dark brown distressing ink all over it as well and rubbed it off until I got the color I wanted.

Step 3: Insert some floral foam in your pot. This holds your cinnamon sticks in place and keeps it steady.

Step 4: Use about 5 long cinnamon sticks and tape them together at the top and bottom. I did this just so they would stay together. You will not see the tape once you've added everything else.

Step 5: Use more floral foam and create a sphere-like shape. (you can definitely buy the already round floral foams, but I didn't have one on hand I just had a rectangle one so I just cut it into the shape I wanted.) Insert your ball of foam on the top of your cinnamon sticks. Make sure you center the foam so that you don't have a lopsided topiary!

Step 6: Start inserting your flowers, leaves, pumpkins, acorns, apples...etc. (you might have to hot glue some of your pumpkins or apples on) You can seriously just start placing them everywhere and I promise it will come together. Just try to keep it in a ball like shape.

Step 7: Place your floral moss all over the top of the pot. You don't have to hot glue this in or anything, just lay it in there until you've covered it completely.

Step 8: To finish it off you will tie a piece of ribbon around the center of your cinnamon sticks into a bow. You then will wrap the rim of your pot with ribbon and tie a knot.